Tuesday, February 7, 2017

For nearly
12 years already I've been using the Tarot as inspiration for my paintings but
also as a creative tool for my narratives. It helps bring out ideas and its
ever changing flexible and seemingly random character makes it a superb tool
for surrealist work and exploring the subconscious mind. From Albrecht Durer to
Salvador Dali, the Tarot has been both an influence and inspiration for many
artists. Here, I'll be sharing with you my own approach to the Tarot as it
becomes a creative journey within the painting process itself.

The Tarot
is composed of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are the
most well known and emblematic for they represent universal archetypes present
in all of human history. I'll guide you briefly through the first nine. Why
nine? Besides having nine muses that inspire artists since ancient Greece, this
number also represents the end of the cycle in the decimal system . Within the
Tarot's Major Arcana, ninth card: The Hermit seems to be a good way to end "The Work" as the artist
retires and lets the painting dry. With the next card: the tenth Major Arcana: Wheel Of Fortune, the work is done,
exhibited and up to outer circumstances in the world to decide what happens
next. From The Magician to The Hermit we see nine central figures
(except for The Lovers) that act as
counselors in each and every stage of the creative process. I often like to
imagine each and one of these Major Arcana as guides or artist's themselves
that have useful advice for us and can assist us in every step of our process.

The Fool
or the unnumbered Major Arcana which is also a cero "0", we may identify with ourselves, the artist, who journeys
into the unknown and will meet and learn from each of the following characters. At the same time, The Fool will
become each of these characters he encounters as he/she completes "The
Work". I know I'm not alone in the feeling like a fool when I paint,
searching for answers, making mistakes along the way, not knowing what to
expect.

1.
The Magicianand the work begin with
preparation and skill. There is much to be learned from this fellow. The
Magician teaches us that anything can be accomplished with our abilities,
dexterity and mastery over the materials. Most Tarot decks present this figure
in front of a table holding different objects associated with his
"art". He is about to perform a magic trick or even sell us some
stuff. In any case, what he's about to do requires focused skill. By setting up
our work space neatly and orienting all energy to our craft, the work begins.
This is a card of initiation and it all starts with the tactile experience of
getting your hands on the materials. The
Magician tells us not to be afraid to experiment and to feel free to dive
in and make mistakes. This is how we learn. Talent alone is not enough. Practice
makes perfect. He encourages us to deal with matter, how to master our tools, to
mix colors as an alchemist and apply them as a magician. As soon as he sees The Fool stumbling around, he can be
heard saying:"Look, this is how it's done! Get in your studio and get to work!".

2. The High Priestesswelcomes The Fool that has recently learned the
secret techniques of The Magician, with
a subtle smile and mysterious gaze. She knows something The Fool/Magician doesn't. In most decks she is shown sitting
passively holding a scroll or book. She is also known as "The Popess",
for she is a virginal purveyor of hidden and sacred wisdom. She remains silent
and in introspection and inspires us to dream and listen to our inner voice.
Painting techniques are nothing without intuition and imagination. There is a
subconscious Lunar energy that needs to be expressed in our art. The High Priestess teaches us to be
patient, silent and allow our inner child to dream, play and be creative. She becomes
the protector of this child and guides us into the next step in our art. By keeping
a private drawing journal and writing down our thoughts and dreams, our inner
child is free and our work is taken to the next level .She whispers into our
ears deep enigmatic words that can only be expressed through Art.

3. The Empress is the next person we
encounter. While the High Priestess
embodied the Spiritual Virgin archetype, The Empress represents the Earthly
Mother archetype. I like to think of her as "The Muse" or even Venus
(Aphrodite) the Goddess herself. Being the third card within the Major Arcana,
she represents grace, as in the Three Graces or even the Nine Muses (3+3+3=9)
She will speak loud and clear if she finds the artist at work, committed and with
the inner child in charge after meeting with The High Priestess. Three is creation itself. It takes a man and a woman
to make a child (1+2=3) The Empress
encourages us to take our technique and imagination and materialize it into
Art. She is represented in most cards
crowned and sitting on a throne or bench surrounded by nature and holding a
scepter and shield. "Be inspired by beauty, feel the energy. Materialize
it!", she commands. Her voice is fully confident, authoritative and
decisive. She empowers us with the gifts of vitality, inspiration and creation
as we embark into the adventure of making Art. When there is will, there is
movement. Movement bring in momentum and the soil we plant our seeds is
incredibly fertile. It is time to paint!

Hope you
enjoyed this so far but there's still more to come and I wanted to keep each
post as brief as possible. Stay tuned for the next segment of this three part
article: Painting Process and Tarot, A Creative Journey, Part 2, where we'll be
exploring The Emperor, Pope and The Lovers.

About this Blog

In this Blog I explore and discuss from an artist's perpective, issues related to contemporary culture, from colonialism to consumerism and how these impact our environment and cultural identities. As an artist coming from Puerto Rico and now living in Houston, Texas, I'm inspired by Spanish Colonial Iconography, Art History, Religious Syncretisms, Comparative Mythology and Pop Culture. I also study the Tarot, Astrology and Alchemy with a special interest in archetypes. All of the issues put forward on this blog derive from these interests and are reflected in my art as well. With these articles I wish to share with the world my own insights into the hidden connections I see between our past and present narratives. The aim is to bring some light into questions artist Paul Gauguin wrote in 1897 on one of his paintings; Where Do we Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?